Sign



E. O. COTTON SIGN vJune 17 1924. 1,498,263

Filed Aug. 4', 1921 if ff mmmmmwwwm m Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STA Nwiri-.anr OFFICE.

EIDWA'ISQD O. COTTON, OF' GOLDSBORO, \1\`|'ORTII. CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FR/ED'EIRJIGKl IVI. MOYE, GOLDSBOR-O, NORTH. CAROLINA.

SIG-N'.

Application' -led August 4, 1.921.v Serial No. 489,733.

T all whom t may concern Be it known ,that I, EDWARD 0'.- Co'rToN,

citizen of the United States, residing at Goldsboro, in the county of llayne and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompany-` ing drawing. j i

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in signs andmore particularly to a sign adapted for attachment toan automobile, it being so constructed as to be easily read in the day time and adapted to be illuminated so that it may be read at night.

rlhe prineipal object of my inventionI resides in the provision of such a sign which is simple and inexpensive in construction andy of; such a size that it may be easily connected to or disconnected: from the automobile. f

Another object of the invention Consists in constructing the sign in such a manner that it may be hooked. over the edge of the automobile windshield or similar supporting member.

A further object eonsists `in the provision of a removable transparent plate so that different plates may be used to provide different reading matter for the sign and mea-ns for holding said plate tightly inposition to prevent breaking or rattling.

The invention has for a still further ob` ject the construction of the sign with a switch in easy reach of the automobile operator so' that the electric light, supported in the sign, may be switched on or oll1 at will.

With the abovev andl other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists inthe novel details of vconstruction .and arrangement of parts, described in the followingspecification and illustrated jin the` accompanying drawings, and while l have illustrated and described the preferedy embodiments of the invention it will be understood that such changes may be made as will fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Inthe drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a top plan.

Fig. 3 a horizontal section.

Fig. 4 a transverse vertical section.

Fig. 5 an end view, and

Fig. 6 a detail sho-wing an end view of' a removable end plate.

ln the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a casing, open at the front and one end, and preferably rectangular in shape as shown.. A downwardly extending flange 2 is formed around the top edge ofl the front opening, an upwardly *extendingy flange 3 around the bottom edge of the opening, and an inwardly extending flange l on the closed end, these flanges 2, 3 and 4: form-ing a bearing surface for a removable transparent plate 5- adapted for insertion through the open end of the casing kThe open end of the casing is formed with the inwardly extending rear flange 6 and top and bottom flanges 7, and 8y respectively, these flanges G, 7 and 8 forming a guide for a removable end plate 9 having the outer end provided With the inwardly extending flange 10 adapted to overlie the end of the transparent plate 5 which bears a suitable sign.

A reflector` 11 is mounted in the casing and, as more particularly shown in Fig. 3, has itsends curved outwardly asindicated at 12 so that the light lwill be properly reflected towards the transparent plate 5, the ends of said reflector being bent at right angles to form the rearwardly extending arms 13 which engagethe back of the easing for properly positioningv the reflector therein. As will be noted by reference to Fig. 8 one end/of the reflector terminates short of the open end of the casing so as to leave af space for the removable end plate 9, the end of said reflector cooperating with the flano'es 6, 7 and 8, of the easing, to form a guice for the removablel end plate. The curved ends 12 of the reflector engage the inner face of the transparent plate 5 and aid in supporting said plate in position in the casing. y

Securedl tothe inner face ofthe reflector 11,I adjacent both the top and bottom edges thereof., are f the spring fingers 14 which yieldably engage the inner face of the transparent plate 5 topress therk saine tightly against the flanges of thek casing. These spring lingers hold the plate in such a man-v ner as to prevent rattling and at the same time being yieldableA will have a tendency to prevent breakage of the glass.

LongitudinallyY spaced hooks 15 yec j are formed on the top front edge of the cas- All() ing and are adapted to engage over the edge of' the windshield or other suitable support. These hooks will preferably be provided on the inner face with a lining 16 of felt or similar material to prevent inarring ol the windshield or other support over which the hooks are engaged. As quite clearly shown these hooks extend beyond the face of the sign so that the said sign, when in position upon a windshield, will engage the face of the shieldv so that the sign may be easily read therethrough.

For illuminating the sign I provide an exteriorly threaded sleeve 17 which passes through the bottom of the casing and is secured thereto by the jam nuts 18, one of said nuts engaging the inner faceV of the bottom and the other nut'engaging theV outer face. A socket 19 is formed upon the upper end of the sleeve to receive and connect the electric light bulb 20 the front face of which is preferably coated as shown at 21 to prevent light `from shining therethrough, said coating also acting as a reflector for reflecting the light to the main reflector 1l. rIhe sleeve 1T is provided, adjacent the lower end, with a transversely extending elongated slot 22 through which a Vswitchfoperating lever 23 extends, within easy reach of the automobile operator, so that the light may be switched on or ofil at will. The electric 'light wires 241 extend through the reinovablecap 25 and are connected to the Contact points within the socket 19 in the usual manner. rIliese wires 24e will tend to hold the bottoni of theV sign and with the hoolrs 15 will prevent displacement of the sign with respect to the windshield or other suit-able support.

From the above detailed description. it is thought that the construction and operation will be clearly understood. As previously stated my sign is primarily intended for use on automobiles but it will be appreciated 'that it'inight equally as well be used in various other connections. The sign will be of particularV advantage in connection with taxicabs or other automobiles for hire in that it may be positioned to be easily Vread to show whether the automobile is vacant or for hire.V The transparent plate 5 may have any desired Yreading matter tliereon, and as these plates areremovable `plates of different reading may be interchanged at will.V The hooks 15 formeasy means 'forl 1 connecting the sign in position and the sign may beV easily detached, at will, should vit be desired to take the sign from view, such as when the automobile is occupied or not for hire.y The switch lever 23 is positioned, in easy reach of the operator of the automobile so that,f'as previously stated, the

engage the rear wall of the casing, a trans-v parent plate removably received in the casing over the front opening and in -front of the reflector, and a removable plate for the open end of the casing, the end of the reflector, with the end of the casing, forming a guidefor said transparent plate, andthe plate adapted to engage the end of the transparent plate for holding it within the casing.

2. A sign` comprising a casing open at the front and one end, an inwardly extending flange formed around the top and bottoni edge of the front opening and at the closed end, a guide-way formed at tliepopen end of the casing, a reflector carried by the casing, a transparent plate adapted to cover the open front of the casing and engaging the inwardly extending'flanges thereof, and a sliding plate received in the guide-way of the open end of the casing, said plate having an inwardly extending flangel adapted to overlie the transparent plate at the open end of the casing for holding it within the casing.

3. A ysign comprising a Vcasing open at the front and one end, an inwardly extending flange formed around the topand bottoni edgesl of the front opening and at Vthe closed end, a guide-way formed a't the open end of the casing, a reflector carried by the casing with its outer edges spaced from the inwardly extending flanges formed Aaround the top and bottom edges ofthe front open-l ing and at the closed end, a transparent plate e received in the casing between the outer edges of the reflector and the inwardly `ex-f' tending flanges, and a sliding plate received in the guide-way at the open end of the casing, said plate havingan inwardly extending flange adapted to overlie the transparent plate at the open end of the casing for holding it within the casing.

In testimony whereof Y EDIARD O. COTTON. lWitnesses J. P. CAMPBELL, C'. A. Ziieowrrz.

I hereunto affix my signature in thepresence o f twovwitnesses 

